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Patrick chooses Coca-Cola 600 over Indy 500

CONCORD, N.C. -- Business deal couldn't be reached, so she will do Memorial Day in Charlotte

Danica Patrick will be spending the Memorial Day weekend in Charlotte this season, which means she won't be racing in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since 2005.

"I'm going to do the Coke 600 this year, I'm not doing the Indy 500," Patrick said. "I hope to do it in the future, and maybe it'll be a double. But at this time, after a lot of conversations, it's just going to be the Coke 600."

Patrick has six top-10 finishes in seven career Indy 500 starts -- including finishing fourth as a rookie when she was passed for the lead with seven laps to go by eventual winner Dan Wheldon.

She said a deal could not be struck to allow her to return to open-wheel racing in May, but didn't rule out future attempts.

"As far as the business side of things, it didn't work out," Patrick said. "Again, I'm hopeful to do it again in the future, but for this year, it just didn't happen."

Patrick plans to compete in at least 10 Sprint Cup events for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2012 -- and now has added NASCAR's longest race to her schedule.

"I think it's going to be a big challenge but I'm looking forward to it, especially as it's a hometown [race] for NASCAR," Patrick said.

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